Patriots lucky to avoid utter disaster with Drake Maye after Caleb Williams rumor
Going into the 2024 NFL Draft, it was clear how the first three picks would go, as the top teams needed a new quarterback.
It had been long known that USC’s Caleb Williams would go first overall, no matter what team was at the top of the board, and that just happened to be the Bears for that draft.
That left LSU’s Jayden Daniels and UNC’s Drake Maye as the next two off the board, allowing the Patriots to get their next franchise player at No. 3.
Daniels inevitably went to the Commanders, meaning Maye went to the Patriots, both of whom went on to have impressive rookie seasons, despite how different they were.
The same cannot be said about Williams with the Bears, but that was slightly expected given how much of a disaster the team had been in recent years.
Because of that, the latest rumor surrounding Williams suggests he didn’t want to become the Chicago Bears’ next quarterback despite knowing he was going to be the first overall pick.
His father, Carl, also didn’t want his son to go there, who is stated as saying, “Chicago is the place quarterbacks go to die.”
In the days since this detail from controversial NFL writer Seth Wickersham’s new book was released, there has been a lot of drama surrounding the Bears that the team has inevitably had to respond to.
Although they might be happy with Williams as their quarterback and he might feel better about his team with a new head coach and staff, it’s a drama that could haunt them for years to come, something the Patriots are fortunate not to have to deal with
The Patriots get another reason to be thankful they were able to draft Drake Maye last year
The Patriots have had more than their fair share of controversy over the years, with quarterback drama being one of the more prominent dramas of the last five years.
From Bill Belichick and Tom Brady’s relationship falling apart to the point of the quarterback leaving New England, to drafting Mac Jones at No. 15 only to trade him eventually, they could not afford another issue revolving around their signal-caller.
That could have been the case during the 2024 draft, as many analysts and fans were conflicted about who would be the best quarterback to draft at No. 3. Some believed Daniels was the better choice, while others felt it was Maye all along.
Fortunately, because Maye fell into their lap and put together a far better rookie season than anyone anticipated, given the situation he walked into, it’s hard to argue that they got the wrong quarterback, even if Daniels led the Commanders to the NFC Championship.
This year’s situation will be much better for Maye’s growth and development under Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels, on top of the standout additions made to the offense.
It has all the makings of a playoff-caliber team with Maye under the helm.
Maye under the helm could be the start of the Patriots’ long trek back to relevancy for years to come, something their biggest rivals were hoping wouldn’t be the case.
Even if they do not reach the biggest peak this year, they can say they avoided unnecessary drama like the Bears are currently dealing with.
That’s the last thing the Patriots need now or in the near future, especially after the successful offseason they’ve had already.
